Back pain forces Bird to return to Australia

Australia's right-arm fast-medium bowler Jackson Bird will be flying back to his country within the next 24 hours to undergo "precautionary scans" after he reported of back pain.

"Jackson has reported some low level back pain and we feel the best course of action to determine the issue is to send him back to Australia for scans," Australian team doctor Peter Brukner said.

"If the scans come back clear, then he will return to India to take up his place with the squad," he added, according to a Cricket Australia release.

The 26-year-old has taken 11 wickets from two Tests since making his debut against Sri Lanka in Melbourne last December.

Bird earned an Australia A call-up for the 2012 tour of England and then won a place in the national squad for the Boxing Day Test against Sri Lanka later the same year after starting the 2012-13 Sheffield Shield season in excellent form again.